On Tuesday, 15 December 2015 Christmas came early as the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Ms Zoliswa Kota-Fredericks handed over two houses to long-serving and deserving staff members in Soshanguve and Hebron, City of Tshwane.
The first beneficiary Ms. Mokgadi Meriam Hutama, who started working as a contract worker in 2006 with the Department of Human Settlements, she was appointed on a permanent basis in 2008. She is married and her husband works as a security guard. They have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. The family is originally from Tzaneen, and had to relocate to Gauteng in 2006, due to the matrimonial demands. She stayed in a shack on a serviced stand at 1677 Block TT, Soshanguve. The house was built by the Department in partnership with the private sector.
The department hopes to provide at least 10 workers with a house every year. So far five houses have been provided for department workers in Mamelodi and Limpopo. The other recipient of a new home, Ms Margaret Tlhoale, also struggled because of her low income as she earn too little to receive a house loan and too much to get a RDP house.
As part of the NHBRCâs CSI programme, we sponsored furniture for the house by purchasing a 3 piece lounge suite, fridge, stove, 2 beds and a 3 piece bedroom suite, in order to complete the new family home.(Pic:Courtesy of Pretoria Newsâ Phill Magakoe)
Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Ms Zoliswa Kota-Fredericks with Ms Mariam Hutama (with glasses), moments before handing over her new house in Soshanguve.